• Ten ways by which Yoga can benefit you.

Our world is full of diverse activities you can try. There are various sports, dancing, martial arts, as well as many other useful ways to develop and grow. You can choose whatever your heart desires, just make sure that chosen activity brings pleasure and benefits to your life.

If you are a student, you likely have little time for extracurricular undertakings, but still want to be active, healthy, energetic, as well as get a pleasant break from your studies. Luckily, there is an activity that will help both your body and mind – it is yoga. Today, we will discuss why you should find time for yoga between your studies, as well as how it can make your life much more fulfilled and enjoyable. Intrigued? Keep reading!

10 Ways Yoga Can Benefit Your Life Today

After yoga became known to the western world and started gaining more and more popularity, scientists began to study how it affects a person’s physical and psycho-emotional state. Let's see why you should give yoga a try as a college student.

1. Yoga develops muscles and improves posture

Strong muscles are much more than a beautiful body. They help prevent diseases such as arthritis, relieve back and neck pain, improve metabolism, and much more. By practicing asanas, you can grow your strength, improve balance with flexibility.

It can also greatly help with your posture. Poor posture leads to many health problems such as fatigue, drowsiness, headaches, decreased performance, scoliosis, poor digestion, etc. Since students spend most of their time sitting, yoga is a great chance to stretch and tone your muscles, as well as keep your posture in check.

2. Yoga helps battle bad habits, get rid of a negative mindset

Experience shows that practicing yoga 2-3 times a week helps people value their body and life more. It helps to get rid of bad habits like smoking, alcohol, and overeating, which students often indulge in. They also often compare themselves to others and judge their accomplishments based on their peers’ advancements, which is not healthy, breeds insecurity, low self-esteem. Practicing asanas will help let go of these negative emotions as well as get a healthier mindset.

3. Yoga helps normalize weight

We often hear that if you want to lose weight, you should eat less and move more. However, yoga helps create a healthy lifestyle without imposing strict rules or counting calories.

It works on both physical and emotional planes. Students often tend to overeat due to stress or live off fast food, but yoga can help take a step towards a healthier lifestyle. Stabilization of mental and emotional state through practicing yoga helps eliminate overeating as well as choose healthier food.

4. Yoga improves concentration

One of the main components of yoga is teaching how to focus on the present. Studies have found that practicing asanas regularly improves attentiveness, boosts concentration, and even increases IQ. People who practice asanas and meditation develop an ability to solve problems faster, remember information better and recall events more clearly. With improved concentration, you can study faster and more efficiently.

5. Yoga promotes relaxation

This practice helps you calm down, unburden your brain, focus on breathing and movement of your body. It lowers heart rate, balances blood pressure, increases blood circulation, and has a relaxing effect. It’s needless to say that as a student, finding a healthy way to relieve stress is extremely helpful for your well-being.

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Pic by Benoy K Behl. 

6. Yoga makes you happier

Studies have shown that yoga can help relieve depression. When performing asanas, the level of serotonin (a hormone responsible for happiness) increases significantly, which contributes to a better mood as well as an improvement of general well-being. Students often struggle with anxiety or depression, so an activity that helps elevate your mood is always helpful.

7. Yoga releases muscle tension

Have you ever noticed that you have an unnecessarily strong grip on your phone or a steering wheel? Or wrinkle your forehead when you think? These unconscious habits lead to chronic tension, muscle fatigue, pain in joints, hands, wrists, shoulders, and neck. As you practice yoga, you begin to notice which parts of your body are tense and learn to relax those muscles.

8. Yoga boosts immunity

Doing asanas or meditating improves your immune system. Yoga helps restore inner balance, accelerate recovery after diseases, increase the body's resistance to the harmful effects of the external environment, aids in fighting off infections. Having better immunity is especially important nowadays, so by setting some time aside for yoga every day, you can work towards boosting your body’s protection.

9. Yoga gives you energy

This practice helps fill you up with energy for the whole day. It drives away fatigue, relieves apathy, and helps to wake up in the morning. Try doing just 10 minutes of yoga before your classes – you will feel a lot more energized and ready for the day.

10. Yoga helps you sleep better

Good sleep is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. As a student, you likely know a feeling of being physically tired, but unable to sleep because your mind is still buzzing with the day's experiences or problems. Yoga will help you fall asleep faster, get better sleep, and get rid of insomnia.

Yoga-t this!

Yoga is not just a sports practice – it lets you reserve some time in a day for yourself. It is an oasis of tranquility in the busyness of everyday life, where you can relax and let all your troubles go. Students need such balance and positive impact more than anybody else, since their days are often very busy, stressful, and draining. Try yoga – you will be amazed at how much better your everyday life will become!

Author Jessica Fender is a professional writer and educational blogger. Jessica enjoys sharing her ideas to make writing and learning fun.

Also read

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2. Yogic treatment for Insomnia

3. All articles on Asanas and Pranayam

4. Photos of Yoga Asanas

5. How can we integrate Yoga into our daily lives